'Habib not to blame for #FeesMustFall leader's detention': Madonsela

Thuli Madonsela on Thursday came to the defence of University of the Witwatersrand vice-chancellor Professor Adam Habib‚ saying he was not to blame for the detention of Fees Must Fall leader Mcebo Dlamini.

Dlamini was earlier denied bail at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Wednesday‚ where he appeared on charges including theft‚ being in possession of dangerous weapons‚ damage to property and assaulting a police officer.

Former public protector Madonsela told Radio 702 that: “I arrived when the anger had partially dissipated. I was told that he (Habib) was chased.”

But‚ she added: “I do hope we will find a way to facilitate a dialogue between the students and Professor Adam Habib.

“…The issue was around Mcebo Dlamini’s detention. The information we have now is that the university actually had requested that he be given conditional bail. It is not the university that is responsible for him being still in prison.”

Madonsela said that she did not want to “play the blame game” as “we all dropped the ball”‚ but reiterated that government needed play a bigger role in the crisis.

“…Twenty-two years into democracy young people should not be suffering the indignity they are suffering and having financial exclusion from university‚” she said.

“That being said…government should be at the centre of it‚ because if fees must fall‚ something must rise. And one of the things that must rise is government’s contribution to higher education.”

Madonsela downplayed her mediation role in the impasse at Wits‚ after the Student Representative Council (SRC) had credited her for getting a 10pm curfew lifted‚ saying: “I am not alone.”

Wits SRC ‏@WitsSRC tweeted: “#WitsCurfew has been lifted for tonight after intervention from various public figures including Thuli Madonsela”.

She did‚ however‚ say she would continue to work to find answers to the crisis.

“It is an engagement that is going to seek to find solutions. It is not a once-off. I am joining my colleagues‚ the parents‚ and former Wits University students - alumni - who are seeking to find lasting solutions‚ but also to repair relationships.

“I do see a silver lining pretty soon.”